street journal marist poll shows president obama leading mitt romney in new hampshire. they are neck in neck in nevada and carolina. nbc's steve handelsman has more. >> reporter: ten miles from the pentagon in springfield, virginia, mitt romney spoke to veterans blaming president obama for the agreement with republicans to slash defense spending if there's no budget deal by january 1st. >> and the idea of cutting our military commitment by a trillion dollars over this decade is unthinkable and devastating. >> reporter: romney's polls in this battleground state look potentially devastating. he's trailing by 3 to 7 p ers percent. romney backers like dave milne are worried. >> he has to get a little more fire in the belly. >> reporter: more romney the businessman suggests soccer mom monica camera. >> he needs to bring up the economy. >> reporter: president obama was in virginia pushing an elitist image of romney in a tv ad to run here putting faces on the 47% of americans romney says he sees as dependent on government. >> i see hard working virginians, i see students tryin